Excess capacity of solar panels January 04, 2011, 02:10:26 am Yahoo Message Number: 119386Steve S. said:"disconnect the batteries from the circuit under those conditions? Many times by midday my charging current is in the 1-3 amp range into the batteries. The excess capacity, up to over nine amps on a bright day, is un utilized... wasted. It is possible to get a ball park figure for current use for appliances by watching my controller amps when something is turned on. The solar controller will up the current, but it isn't actually going into the battery. It goes straight to the appliance switched on, for instance the ffan on low. The fan is running on panel power straight, otherwise un-used power. This preserves the full charge on the batteries until you start using more power than the sunlight is generating. The water pump when cycling, actually consuming power, uses more power than my solar panels can provide, so then the batteries make up the difference, but the panels will replace that power almost instantly, since my older pump runs at less than a 50% duty cycle. The charge controller probably needs to have the batteries connected for a reference voltage, much like the chassis regulator needs the battery when the engine is running. Newer cars with more sophisticated systems may operate ok with the battery disconnected, but I'm not trying that on Bluebelle. RonB[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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